Phantom
by Angel Reaper
Summary: Seras takes Alucard to see "The Phantom of the Opera" live one night. A little bit A/S; Alucard might be OOC.


Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing or any characters from it. They all belong to Kouta Hirano. I don't make any money from writing this either, it's purely for fun.

Note: The "Phantom" is called "Erik" in the original novel, so I'll refer to him as such. It's just so tiring to use "Phantom" all the time…

~*~

Seras had always harbored a secret interest in musicals. Unfortunately, growing up in an orphanage never provided her with an opportunity to see any live in a theater. Even when she was alive, her work as a police officer never allowed her much free time to see a show. But working for Hellsing seemed to have some perks after all. Sir Integra pulled a string and secured two tickets to Phantom of the Opera for the young draculina.

"_You have earned a night off, Seras," she said as she handed the tickets over to the bright eyed young woman. "But remember, be discrete as possible; I don't want to hear about any mysterious civilian deaths in the news." Seras nodded absentmindedly at Integra's stern warning, gazing in awe at the tickets. They were very good seats, in one of the side balcony boxes. Suddenly something clicked in her mind…_

"_Sir, why are there two tickets?" Integra raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it obvious? You can't go out at night alone, especially to a public theater. Alucard will be your escort for the evening."_

_Seras's eyes widened. Her master, escorting her to a musical? It sounded like a plan of disaster…"B-But sir," she stammered, "I-"_

"_Yes, Seras?" Integra's eyes turned icy cold, making Seras gulp nervously. "I… didn't think Master also enjoyed musicals," she finished lamely. There was a chuckle as Integra lit up a cigar._

"_No, he doesn't like musicals. In fact, he has never seen a musical before in his un-life. No doubt he'll think it's ridiculous. But he doesn't have to enjoy it; he's just going as your chaperone." She inhaled deeply, and then slowly blew out a plume of smoke. "That is all, Seras; I hope you enjoy seeing Phantom." With a small smile and a wave of her hand, she dismissed the young vampire. Clutching the tickets firmly, Seras exited Integra's office._

Seras sighed; indeed, Alucard had thought the whole idea of people bursting into song was ludicrous when Seras tried to explain the idea to him. But Integra had given him a direct order to accompany her for the whole night, so he obeyed reluctantly. Currently he was sulking in his seat, slouched low like a teenager in school. It was very fortunate the side box had dim lighting to partially hide his frame in shadow, or else many people would have wondered why a grown man like Alucard was pouting like a five year old child. "You're such a troublesome fledgling, Police Girl, making me come here with you. I have other things that I would like to be doing right now," he grumbled, glaring sideways at her.

Seras was too excited to let her master's mood affect hers. As the overture began and the theater darkened, she couldn't help but grin to herself with delight. Finally, she was about to see one of the best musicals of all time.

~*~

Seras was briefly grateful that she was a vampire. She was using her heightened senses to carefully follow the actors on stage. She was so intensely focused, she almost forgot that her master was there with her, and that he was bored.

_That Christine character is such an insipid girl._ Seras jumped at the sound of her master's voice in her mind, then glared briefly at him. He was still slouched in his seat, staring disinterestedly towards the stage, but glanced every now and then off towards her.

_Why don't you like Christine, Master?_

_Who would take voice lessons from a strange voice in the dark? Moreover, who would follow a man into the dark that just appeared from behind the mirror of your dressing room? That kind of behavior is only found in the mentally ill or extremely stupid…_

Seras frowned; she liked Christine very much. _Christine's not mentally ill or stupid, Master. Maybe she's enamored by his voice. Or maybe she thinks she's dreaming._ She heard Alucard scoff under his breath.

_Then she is naïve and foolish for dreaming such ridiculous dreams._

Seras was feeling very annoyed by this point; her telepathic conversation with Alucard was distracting her from the plot. _I think it's very romantic. A mysterious stranger appearing from nowhere, whisking you off to a strange new world…_

Alucard smirked, then chuckled low. _Why Police Girl, that sounds a lot like the first night we met…_ Immediately Seras turned red. _I-I didn't mean it like that, Master! I-It's just that the Phantom has a powerful aura to him, with the mask and the underground dungeon and the music… women like the charm and mystery of it.  
_

Her master still looked amused, but dropped the conversation. Grateful, Seras concentrated on the characters on stage once more.

The musical was almost at intermission when Seras felt a hand touch her arm briefly. Startled, she twisted in her seat, then sighed when she realized it was just her master. "What is it, Master?"

"There has been a report of a FREAK nest at a club. Integra would like us to go there," he murmured. The blonde fledgling nodded; they could go soon, the first half was almost over anyway. Once they had checked for FREAKs, they could return in time for the second half. She turned her attention back to the actors, focusing on Raoul and Christine's scene on the roof. Alucard raised his eyebrows, then cleared his throat. "Sir Integra would like us to go _**now**_, Police Girl, and exterminate them," he said meaningfully, smiling crookedly with barely contained excitement and impatience. Seras looked at him appalled.

"But… Sir Integra said it was my night off! Besides, I don't have my Harkonnen with me!" Alucard shrugged, then tilted his head as if listening to a faraway sound. "My master says she's sorry, but we are desperately needed at the raid. A group of Hellsing soldiers will meet us at the club, and that they will have your weapon with them for you," he replied after a moment. "Since I already have my weapons on me, we should leave now, Police Girl." He was obviously eager to leave the theater and begin his slaughter.

Seras struggled with her emotions for a minute, torn between her excitement at being at a musical for the first time and her duty to follow Sir Integra and Hellsing in general. She sighed in defeat, her sense of duty and obligation winning out. Standing up, she followed her master to the door that lead to the stairs, then the lobby of the theater to the street. She looked wistfully at the front of the theater for a moment, then stepped into an alley where her master had opened a shadowy portal to teleport them. If only she could have seen the second half of the musical…

~*~

Seras collapsed onto her bed, fresh from a long hot shower and dressed in her pajamas. The raid had taken longer than expected, but they managed to exterminate them all. She looked at the state of her clothes on the floor and sighed; she would have to throw those away. The soldiers who brought her Harkonnen hadn't brought a spare uniform for her, so she was forced to fight in her civilian clothes. Her outfit was one of her nicer ones too, since she had been expecting to go to a theater, not a FREAK-infested club.

She frowned again in remembrance of her interrupted evening at the musical. Abruptly she got up from the bed and went over to the small television she had convinced Walter to install in her room. Fishing around a box of DVDs next to the TV, she found the 2004 movie version of The Phantom of the Opera. She had already seen it many times, but it was the next best thing to seeing the second half live.

Quickly she placed the disc in the player and queued the movie to the spot she left off at in the theater, watching absently from her coffin bed while hugging a pillow. Gerard Butler was a good Erik…

Seras was quite close to the end of the movie, the Phantom had taken Christine down to his underground lair again. She jerked back suddenly when a dark portal opened on the wall behind the television, and her master's hand beckoned.

"Come Police Girl, I have something to show you." The fledgling looked uncertainly at the hand. "Master?"

"Just come, Police Girl," his voice replied impatiently, his hand gesturing toward the portal more insistently. Seras cringed, then reluctantly got up to stop the movie, then took the offered hand. Immediately the hand pulled her into the cool darkness beyond. It was only a moment, but it seemed to last a long time traveling to and from wherever they were headed.

Once she had stepped through to the other side, she blinked and gasped in surprise. Alucard had taken her to his chambers, but they were much different from usual. Now there were lit candles covering every surface except for a circle that was sprinkled with rose petals and sheet music. Somehow there was a large organ in the circle as well, even though Seras swore it wasn't there before and was much too large and heavy to be carried though the doors. Spinning around to face her master, she was met with another surprise.

Her master had abandoned his scarlet jacket for a theatric opera cape, and his cravat was styled differently. Even his charcoal suit seemed slightly different, and his hair was short and combed back. The most noticeable change about Alucard was that he was wearing a pure white mask that covered the right half of his face. If it wasn't for the fanged grin, he would make a very convincing Erik.

Seras couldn't help but smile back, Alucard just looked so pleased with himself. "Master, what's all this about?" He shrugged eloquently, then gently tugged her into the circle. As they were walking, Seras was startled to notice that her pajamas had miraculously changed into a sheer white slip and robe, much like the one Christine wore in her dressing room. It must have happened during the time in the portal.

"You seemed… disappointed about missing the rest of that bizarre opera. I thought that you might enjoy this instead." Reaching the center of the circle, he waved his hand, and the organ began playing on its own. It was a slow melody, but it was peaceful and relaxing. Seras recognized it as "Music of the Night" instantly.

"Technically it's called a musical, Master," Seras said absentmindedly, staring in awe at the organ and her surroundings. When Alucard offered her his hand, she looked in confusion at him.

"Would you care to dance?" He waited patiently for her to comprehend before she smiled widely and accepted his hand. Alucard wasted no time in sweeping her elegantly around the circle, stepping in time with the music. When Seras suddenly giggled, a strange sound bubbling from her throat, he looked down at her with his eyebrows quirked.

"Are you planning on singing as well, Master?" He rolled his eyes. "No. Not unless you do, Police Girl." She smiled and shook her head, resting her head against his chest as they continued waltzing around.

"Thank you for doing this, Master." She heard him huff slightly. "I didn't just do this for you. I also wanted to wear the mask; it looked very intriguing…" Seras managed to muffle her laugh against his chest. He looked disapprovingly down at her, but made no move to reprimand her. Instead he dipped her down low, bringing his face close to her own. Her laughter quickly died at the intense stare of his crimson eyes to her own deep blue ones. She suddenly became very aware of his parted lips and his cool breath as it brushed against her skin.

Seras always did believe that Erik and Christine were a better pair than Raoul and Christine…

~End Fic~

A/N: I… don't really know what to call this. A drabble? A ficlet? It's certainly a one-shot at least… Anyway, this idea has been plaguing me ever since I saw Phantom live onstage this past December. I'd love to see Alucard with the mask on, wouldn't you?

Please review; it's been a while since I've posted any fanfics...


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